Tony Chen

11th Annual New Age Song Winner
10th Annual Song Used in Film/TV/Multimedia
Vox Pop Winner

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Record Label: Self-Released
www.tonychenmusic.com

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Home Base: Huddersfield, UK (Currently work in San Francisco, US)

Genre: Pop/Classical/New Age

Category Entered: New Age

Work Submitted: “Sweet Smile”

Artists Featured: Tony Chen

Label: Unsigned

Who are your influences? Yanni, John Tesh, Kitaro, Secret Garden, as well as original soundtracks of many TV Drama and movie, such as Korean Dramas and Hollywood movies.

Describe your nominated work. I got the inspiration from a photo of a pretty girl sitting on the green grass. It is a piece for your beloved one.

Did you use any unusual effects or instruments in this recording? No. But it has an unusual and interesting ending – it seems that it opens a new musical idea, but it ends leaving you endless imagination.

Were there any happy accidents while in the studio, or did everything go as planned? I finished the piece within a week.

Why did you choose to submit this work to The 11th IMAs? I think in current cultural and artistic works, many works overemphasize entertainment value, and music tends to become commercialized. It has, to some extent, become an instrument used to indulge the dark side of man, to make money and to amplify dark inner feelings. I think it would have a negative influence on the entire society’s moral standard, leading to bury the kindness within peoples’ hearts.

I wish to pursue the quality or state of purity, beauty and righteousness on my music composition path. I think music of this kind is beneficial to people and the whole society. Being recognized by IMA helps me to bring my belief to wider audiences. And also I was nominated in the 10^TH IMA for my composition “Righteous Marching,” which brings people a feeling of righteousness, uplifting and brightness. The piece also won the Vox Pop in 10^th IMA. It validates my belief, so I would like to submit my new composition “Sweet Smile” to The 11^th IMA again.

What’s your definition of success and how will you know when you’ve achieved it? Being successful does not mean getting famous and rich only, but to hold firmly on what you believe while walking along your path at home and at work. I am achieving it whenever I write music following this belief throughout my life.

Who’s sitting in your audience and what makes your fans unique? My audiences come from all walks of life, and including people of all ages.  And also I think I am just as the same as anyone who likes and even dislikes my music. Everyone leads his/her own life and everyone is unique and walking on his/her unique path! Although we are all different, we can share one same dream – we appreciate the differences between us, and we respect the uniqueness that each individual possess. Because of appreciation without pursuing changing others, we could see more clearly that each individual’s life is a piece of music full of happiness, anger, sadness, and sorrows. I think what makes my fans unique is that I would like both me and my fans are true friends, and I know them well, and they know me well too! So I compose music truly for them and for me but not just showing off myself for fame.

Are there any songs you wish you wrote and why? Songs depicting the attitude of how we treat tribulations in life, the harmony of love, upholding justice, respecting human rights. Also, humorous songs.

What artists are you listening to that would surprise your fans? Do go to a Shen Yun show near you (http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/videos/index/play/E6uiUXcyyRk), you would be amazed by its 3D animated backdrops, Handmade Chinese traditional costumes, Chinese Classical Dance, unique live orchestra combining the Eastern and western musical instruments, etc. In a collection of short dance pieces, audiences travel from the Himalayas to tropical lake-filled regions; from the legends of the culture’s creation over 5,000 years ago through to the story of Falun Dafa in China today; from the highest heavens down to the dusty plateaus of the Middle Kingdom.

Shen Yun Performing Arts is a nonprofit organization based in New York, is proudly the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. it has performed in many of the world class theatres around the world, including New York’s Radio City Music Hall, London’s Royal Festival Hall, Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, and Paris’ Le Palais de Congrès. Shen Yun Performing Arts in 2007 had a total audience of about 200,000. In 2008, this figure dramatically increased to 500,000. In 2009, the audience numbers were 800,000.

How will musicians make a living if fans continue to expect music to be free? I think music career follows the same principle as other careers. It is a kind of reality that musicians need to make money for a living. So it is reasonable for people to pay to listen to music. However, I won’t buy a music piece promoting violence even if it is free.

I would suggest a certain amount of music pieces to be free, while others are not.

If people expect music to be totally free, then they will have less and less good music to listen to in the future, as musicians have to do something else to make a living rather than music.

What don’t fans/audiences understand about the music industry today? Is it about art or business? Making money influences the art forms and contents, or financially supporting good art by making money is the issue.

Finish this sentence: The music industry is…becoming a big informational media fishnet that we are being covered by under today’s fast developing media networks, such as internet, digital technology, mobile phones, TV networks etc. We are losing the ability to choose information as we wish, but to be forced to accept information provided. So the music industry has great social influences on people’s mind and our world. I think it is important for me as a musician to compose music with message that is beneficial and positive to people’s morality before thinking of only making money and becoming famous, as a single message put into the fast growing media networks would create big social influences widely, even the whole world overnight!

What do you have in the works for the upcoming year? I currently work as the radio music/variety show program producer and host of Sound of Hope Radio Station on KSJO China FM92.3, the largest Chinese radio FM in America, covering a half million Chinese people in the whole SF Bay Area. We broadcast at 2 Golden Traffic Hours: 8 – 10am and 5 – 8pm during the weekdays, and I have 3 hour music/variety show on Sunday from 3 – 6 pm.

And also I will compose new music pieces and hold several new music concerts with my music friends.

With the radio platform, I hope to build up a musical bridge between the East and the West. If you have good music or topic to share with our Chinese audiences, do contact me at music@bayvoice.net.

Where fans can find you and your music:
www.tonychenmusic.com
www.facebook.com/tonychenmusicsite
www.facebook.com/bayvoice.musictime
www.twitter.com/tonychenmusic
www.myspace.com/tonychenmusic